Oxford Tourism Awards of Excellence winners announced
The awards celebrate a thriving tourism industry in Oxford County and honour those who are helping us to “Embrace our Rural Routes”
The Oxford Tourism Awards of Excellence recognizes Oxford’s exceptional tourism businesses, organizations and individuals.
The winners are:
Best New Tourism Product first recipient: Commonplace Books
Commonplace Books opened in 2025, filling a local need for a bookstore and community gathering space. More than 500 people attended its opening weekend, demonstrating strong demand for literary tourism.
Best New Tourism Product second recipient: Udderly Ridiculous Farm Life
Udderly Ridiculous Farm Life’s self-guided trail combines art and education with a focus on accessibility and ethical animal observation. Visitors explore agriculture, pollinators, food production, edible plants and Indigenous planting practices in a playful setting.
Responsible Tourism Award first recipient: Terra Nova Nordic Spa & Cafe
Terra Nova Nordic Spa leads in sustainable tourism, reducing its environmental footprint by operating on 100% solar energy and offsetting 17 tonnes of CO2 annually. The spa also uses environmentally conscious electric maintenance equipment and organic Canadian-made products, and plants pollinator and native healing gardens.
Responsible Tourism Award second recipient: Udderly Ridiculous Farm Life
Udderly Ridiculous Farm Life prioritizes animal welfare and is committed to a positive environmental culture. They ensure animal participation is never forced, teaching visitors to appreciate natural behaviour and respect the animals. Their pollinator programming, edible gardens, and the Three Sisters Garden help visitors understand biodiversity, good systems, and agricultural traditions.
Tourism Partnership Award first recipient: The Kiln Room Ceramic & Art Studio and Deep Purple Lavender
This award goes to two businesses who joined forces to create a unique tourism experience by combining pottery with lavender fields, showcasing Oxford County as a destination for creative, agricultural, and experiential tourism.
Tourism Partnership Award second recipient: Commonplace Books
Commonplace Books has partnered with more than 20 local authors to become a cultural hub and literary tourism destination. Its “shelf-talkers” highlight authors’ stories and connections to Oxford, helping visitors discover the people and places behind their books. Five of the store’s top sellers are works by local authors.
The Oxford Tourism Award program recognizes the region’s tourism businesses, organizations, and individuals who have displayed excellence in product development, partnerships and collaborations, innovation, inclusiveness, leadership, sustainability, and attraction to the region. The program also recognizes partners who work collaboratively with Oxford Tourism to grow regional tourism and offer exceptional visitor experiences.
Winners were chosen by a panel of external judges with representatives from provincial tourism organizations outside of Oxford County.
For more information about categories and award winners, visit www.oxfordcounty.ca/Business-in-Oxford/Tourism/Tourism-Awards.
Photo
Group photo, left to right: Meredith Maywood (Oxford County); Meaghan Wright and HollyJo (Kiln Room); Donna and Chris Schurman (Deep Purple Lavender Farm); Jodi Pendry (Terra Nova Nordic Spa); Shannon McKechnie (Commonplace Books), Cheryl and Greg Haskett (Udderly Ridiculous Farm Life); Oxford County Warden, Marcus Ryan.